Atrial conduction abnormalities in patients with systemic progressive sclerosis

Abstract

Atrial abnormalities in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis have not been evaluated in terms of intra-artrial conduction. We hypothesized that a delay in atrial conduction in these patients might produce diastolic abnormalities as well as atrial arrhythmias. To evaluate the atrial function of patients with progressive systemic sclerosis by using echocardiography to measure the intra-atrial electromechanical activation coupling interval. Twenty patients with progressive systemic sclerosis were assessed by Doppler echocardiography. Twenty age-matched healthy controls were also evaluated. Two-dimensional guided M-modes of ventricular long axes were recorded using simultaneous phono- and electrocardiograms of the apical four chamber view at the right lateral, septal and left lateral sites of the atrioventricular rings. Transmitral and tricuspid pulsed Doppler flow velocities were also recorded. Filtered P wave duration was measured on the signal averaged ECG to determine the duration of atrial electrical activation. There was a delay in P on the electrocardiogram (P) at the onset of atrial contraction on long axis M-modes at all three atrioventricular ring sites in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis as compared with controls (P-right; 56±13 vs 47±10 ms, P-septal; 74±14 vs 55±10 ms, and P-lateral; 93±16 vs 72±11 ms, PPPP<0·01). Intra-atrial electromechanical coupling intervals were delayed in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis. Thus, the mechanical late diastolic filling time due to atrial contraction in the total diastolic phase was severely limited, and this resulted in a restricted mitral A wave. We should therefore evaluate patients with progressive systemic sclerosis for significant atrial abnormalities.